Process of preserving fruit



' Patented May 24, 1927.

PATENT OFFICE.

REX'DE ORE MODILL, OF WINTER HAVEN, FLORIDA.

PROCESS OF TRESERVING FRUIT.

No Drawing;

This invention is an improvement in a preservative for \fruits and relates particularly to dissolved and emulsified parafiine applied to the external part of fresh fruit.

Para-fiine has been used as an external coating for fruit but has not'been successful commercially due to the fact that it solidifies quickly from its molten state by contact with objects at a temperature below its melting point and further when objects are immersed in pure parafline they. pick up as thick a crust as is congealed on the object by the difference in temperature in the object and the parafiine. For example if a cold orange is immersed in a bath of melted parafline it will take on a coating about oneeighth of an inch in thickness which renders it unattractive and unsalable to the ordinary consumer.

A feature of my invention is the combining ofthe parafline with a volatile solvent like gasoline giving to it the consistency of a salve,-in order that it may be spread on the fruit, mechanically by brushes or other similar means. It has been found that the solvent quickly passes off into the atmosphere leaving a coating vof pure parafline on the fruit which is thin and transparent and cannot be detected by the eye but of sufficient thickness to prevent evaporation of moisture from within and inhibit the inoculation of molds and decay organisms from without.

The coating preparation is prepared as follows: Pure refined commercial pa-rafiine 85 is used, known to the refiners as refined slab paratfine or wax and which is produced from petroleum in three different grades known as low, medium and high melting point. These paraflines melt at the following temperatures on the Fahrenheit scale; low 120122, medium 124-126, high 130- 134. Any of these paraflines or combination of same may be used. The para-fline is melted in a retort or open vessel and while in the melted state gasoline or other solvent is added in the proportion found most suitable for the fruit to be treated and the atmospheric temperature during the treating process. The amount of solvent used is also governed .by the melting point of the par afiine used,-thatis the higher the melting point of the parafline used the more solvent a volatile solvent of pa'rafiine.

Application filed October 21, 1921. Serial No. 509,394.

is used to give it theyr'equired consistency. This variation of theamount ofsolvent used ranges from 5% to 60%' of the finished rodnot. by weight. In some cases it is ound necessary to emulsify the dissolved parafline in order to prevent the too rapid evaporation of the solvent while the preparation is being applied. Thisis done as follows; a pound of gum acacia is dissolved in a' gallon of water to Which,eleven pounds of resin soap is added, the mixture being heated and agitated until the soap and gum are dissolved, the mixture is then put into an emulsifier and rapidly beaten until a porous fiuffy state is obtained. To this is slowly added during the beating process a mixture of one hundred pounds of paratline melted and disolved in six gallons of gasoline. The mixture is then well beaten until slightly cool and is then poured off into air tight receptacles for future use.

This substance has all of the advantages of pure parafline and none of its disadvantages and can be applied at normal atmospheric temperature by mechanical means.

I claim:

1. The process of preserving fruit consist- -ing in forming an encasing film thereon by applying thereto a mixture of parafline and 2. The process of preserving fruit consisting in forming an encasing film thereon by applying thereto a mixture of parafiine and gasoline.

3. The process of preserving fruit consisting in forming an encasing film thereon by brushing on the fruit a mixture of parafiine and a volatile solvent of parafline.

4. The process of "treating fruit to preserve its fresh condition and appearance and to enhance its keeping qualities, which comprises coating the same with a mixture of paraffine and gasoline. v

5. The process of. treating citrus fruit to preserve its fresh condition and appearance and .to enhance its keeping qualities, which comprises rubbing the' surface of the fruit with a semi-liquid or pasty mixture of a Waxy material and a volatile liquid.

6. The process of treating citrus fruit to preserve its fresh condition and appearance and to enhance its keeping qualities, which comprises rubbing the surface of the fruit with a semi-liquid or pasty mixture of paraifine and asoline.

7. The herein described process for preserving fruit in its natural state consisting in melting parafline, adding a volatile solvent thereto in the proportion found most suitable for the fruit to be treated at the atmospheric temperature during the treating process, emulsifying the dissolved parafiine 10 by the addition of soaps and gums, whereby to prevent the too rapid evaporation of the solvent and applying the resulting compound to the fruit to be preserved.

REX DE ORE MoDILL. 

